Our big news this month was the announcement of the 2016 shortlist for the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction!

The Readings Prize considers first and second books from Australian authors, and aims to recognise exciting and exceptional new contributions to local literature.

The six shortlisted books are Portable Curiosities by Julie Koh, The High Places by Fiona McFarlane, Music and Freedom by Zoë Morrison, Wood Green by Sean Rabin, Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa and Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar.

You can find comments on the shortlist here.

In further literary prize news this month – the winners of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards were announced, as well as the winners of the National Biography Award and the Wainwright Prize (this Prize rewards the best writing on the outdoors, nature and UK-based travel writing).

We hosted events for two much-anticipated kids books over the past few weeks – one for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (see photos from the day here) and one for The 78-Storey Treehouse (see photos from the evening here). The new Harry Potter story has everyone talking, and you can read reflections from our booksellers here.

This month our booksellers also shared the books they read in a single sitting on our blog. We also compiled a list of all the books that ABC TV’s The Book Club read in their 2016 season, and our digital marketing manager Lian Hingee wrote a comprehensive beginner’s guide to the books of Irish crime writer Tana French.

Looking ahead to September, we have a swag of blockbuster events lined up – including opening weekend celebrations for our new bookshop in Westfield Doncaster. And if you want to give yourself nightmares in the coming weeks, we have the perfect book for you..